There All Along
by Darley1101
Summary: What do you do when the only guy you have ever really loved is about to get married and the bride isn't you? You get your super hot best friend to pretend to be your boyfriend! And if things get a little out of control...well that is all part of the fun!
1. Chapter 1

Title: There All Along

Author: Darley1101

Rating: R (language and sexual content)

Pairing: Alex/Izzie

Supporting Pairing: Meredith/Derek, Lexie/Mark, Jackson/April, Callie/Arizona, Owen/Cristina

Pairings Mentioned: Alex/Rebecca, George/Izzie, George/Olivia

Premise: What do you do when the only guy you have ever really loved is about to get married and the bride isn't you? That is the big question running through Izzie Stevens mind when she gets invited to her ex boyfriend George's wedding. Her first thought is to beg him not to marry Olivia; only she isn't _that_ desperate. Her second thought is to let it go; only she can't because she _loves_ him. Which only leaves her with one option: show him what he's missing! And what better way to do that than show up with a super hot date? Enter Izzie's best friend Alex Karev. Alex is more than willing to pretend to be Izzie's boyfriend; after all he owes her! Things get complicated though when he's upgraded from pretend boyfriend to pretend fiance.

Chapter One

_Timothy and Rhonda Harmon _

_And _

_Harold and Louise O'Malley_

_Are pleased to announce _

_the upcoming nuptials _

_Of their children: _

_Olivia Michelle Harmon_

_And _

_George William O'Malley _

_The wedding will take place on April 5, 2010_

_at the Aston Montelago Resort_

_In Las Vegas, Nevada _

_With reception immediately following. _

_The couple is registered at Walmart. _

The taste of bile filled Izzie Stevens' mouth as she read and reread the cream and gold invitation that had shown up her mailbox. It was a joke. It had to be. There was no way in hell George was marrying that redheaded pop tart he'd introduced her to at Christmas. At the time the couple had been dating less than a month and Izzie hadn't worried about the giggling little flake. George's relationships never lasted long. He went through women like they were Kleenex. In fact the only steady, long term relationship he'd ever managed to have had been with Izzie herself. Never mind that it had been in high school. That was minor detail. The important part had been that Izzie was the only woman who could hold his attention. She liked it that way. It meant she still had a chance to win him back.

A small shriek rushed past her lips as the iPhone in her back pocket started vibrating and blasting Britney Spears' _Womanizer._ Her fingers fumbled with the phone as she wrangled it from her pocket and tried to answer it. "Alex," she whimpered by way of a greeting. She didn't have to tell him why she was on the verge of tears because she was positive he had received an invitation as well. "It's a joke right? You had it printed up to get back at me for telling Amanda about Lucy, right? You're calling to go ha ha, got you!"

"Sorry, Iz."

That was all it took. Two simple words and whatever hope she had been holding on to crashed and burned. George was marrying the little fluff ball from Christmas. "He barely knows her!"

"He knows her well enough," Alex pointed out.

Izzie felt her brow tense into an annoyed wrinkled. She didn't need to hear that George knew Olivia 'well enough.' How well could he get to know the other woman in the three, maybe four months, they had been dating? Definitely not well enough to get married. What she needed was for Alex to take her side. She needed him to tell her that George was making a mistake. Typical that he was being too dense to see that. "No he doesn't," she insisted. "He doesn't know a thing about her! And you should have seen her at Christmas-"

Annoyance shot through Alex's voice as he cut her off. "I'm not going to do this Iz. I'm not going to let you drag me into your weird little George obsession. If you want to waste your time and life mooning over some guy that doesn't see you that way anymore, fine, just don't drag me into it."

Jaw dropping, she sank onto the little ladder back chair she kept next to her front door. "What are you talking about? I never drag you into anything! You're my best friend. We talk. We listen. We support one another." She tapped her sandal clad foot, uncertain of what to say next. It wasn't like Alex to be so negative. Not to her. Maybe to the skanks he picked up in bars but never her. He was her number one cheerleader. The one person in her life she knew she could count on to keep her secrets, make her feel better, and, best of all, knew how important George really was to her. If he suddenly stopped being that person she wasn't sure what she would do, how she would handle it, or if she even could handle it. They had been best friends since preschool. That was twenty years of togetherness, of him being her voice of reason. "Alex, this isn't us not being friends anymore is it?" Crap. Why had she asked that? She didn't really want him to answer anymore than she wanted George to marry that red-headed hillbilly.

"Cut the crap Iz. You know we're always going to be friends. We'll probably be that weird pair of friends at the nursing home who shares an oxygen tank or something." His throaty chuckle did what it always did, sent a warm rush of reassurance throughout her body. He'd always had that effect on her. Things would be bad. She would feel insecure. Alex would make it better. He was her warm and fuzzy. "All I'm saying is that you and George broke up six years ago. Do you want me to remind you of why you guys broke up?"

A blush crept into Izzie's cheeks. No, she didn't need reminded of why her relationship with George had ended. The memory was all to clear. It had been the morning after prom. Alex had thrown a party at his parents lake house and, there on the beach, Izzie had stripped herself naked and told George it was time. He had picked up her dress, handed it to her, and said he agreed. It was time. Time for them to face the fact that they weren't cut out to be anything but friends. It hadn't felt real back then, and it didn't feel real now. She knew it wasn't healthy to cling to the past, to wish for something that might not happen but damn it she loved George! Loved him. If her heart was capable of loving someone else she would have moved on with her life. She would have found a guy who made her feel all warm and fuzzy. And, she thought with a grimace, she wouldn't still be a virgin at the age of twenty-two. Call her old fashioned but she wasn't going to give it up to just anyone. Making love was sacred and she wanted the first time to be with the man she was going to spend the rest of her life with.

"I hate this," she whispered, not sure if she was talking about George getting married or still having feelings for him. She slumped down even further when she heard Alex let out a sigh on the other end of the line. "I don't even know why I'm still hung up on him."

"I don't know what you ever saw in him," Alex muttered. The admission was no surprise. In high school George and Alex had been polar opposites. While Alex had been a star athlete and dated cheerleaders, George had been the class brain and had only had eyes for Izzie. The two had grudgingly accepted one another for her sake but made no effort to know each other when she wasn't around. Back then it hadn't bothered her that Alex disliked George so much; she had chalked it up to them being different. Now, she was wondering if there hadn't been something more to it and couldn't help but asking. "You want me to list why I don't like George? Not sure we have the time."

"Make time," Izzie snapped, pressing the tips of her index and middle finger against the crease between her brows. It was doubtful that Alex's reasons for disliking George would effect her feelings toward her ex but anything was possible. "Please."

"Iz, nothing I say is going to matter." The gentle way his voice softened tugged at her bruised heart. He knew her so well. "You just have to make up your mind to let him go."

Rationally she knew what he was saying was true. Her feelings for George had never been rationale though. They had always been borderline out of control. Whenever she let herself dwell on the what might have been for too long she did something stupid; like call him and tell him how she still felt. He was always kind about it and always told her that he still loved her too but they were just…not meant to be. The way he hesitated always made her wonder if he meant what he was saying. If they weren't meant to be why did he keep saying he loved her? It made no sense. Unless, she rationalized, he still loved her but was afraid to admit breaking up four years ago had been a mistake. "What if I can't," she asked softly.

"Then you're going to end up the crazy cat lady because Iz, he's getting married. Not because he has to or because he's being pressured. He's doing it because he loves her." As much as she wanted to deny the words, to tell him he was wrong, she couldn't. Her mind kept going back to Christmas, when George had introduced her to Olivia. He had been so protective, so gentle, so…loving. She let out a strangled sob. Her tears had little to do with losing George, and everything to do with the loss of what might have been. "You know what, how about I come over? We'll burn the invitations and talk shit about how he's making a mistake. We'll even call and tell him we're not coming."

"No!" Burning the invitations and talking shit about Olivia…she was down for that. Not going to the wedding? Hell no. She was going. She almost had to. His whole family knew how pathetic she was about him. If she didn't show they would talk. If they talked, word would get back to her mother. And then there would be no end to the blind dates. Horrid blind dates when any single man her mother could find. She'd been down that path last year and it was an ugly path. A path full of losers who wanted to get in her panties.

"You're not seriously thinking about going to that thing are you?" Her silence made him groan. "Iz, please tell me you're going to get closure or save face. Tell me you're not going to do something drastic like try to win him back."

The thought hadn't occurred to her until she heard Alex mention it. Just as quickly as it came, it left. She wasn't going to be known as a wedding crasher. No. She was going to go to save face. And if George realized what he was missing, then that was something else altogether. Of course, he probably wouldn't. He knew he could have her anytime he wanted. That was the problem. Good ole Iz was always there. His back up plan no doubt. Well no more. She was going to show him what he was missing and what he was never going to have. But how? She was single. Embarrassingly single. On the other end of the line, she heard Alex grumbling about how expensive flying to Vegas would be. With her eyes still closed, she let his familiar voice wash over her. It left a trail of warm, fuzzies. How the hell had she missed his voice being so sexy? She tried to conjure up an image of her lifelong friend. Instead of the usual picture of the four year old boy she had met her mind brought forth the image of a tall guy with muscles, close cropped dark hair, and a smile that made panties damp. She shook the last thought off. She wasn't going to go there. Not with Alex. "Alex," she said softly, "can we go together?"

"Well yeah. Sure. Kinda figured we would. Saves me the trouble of finding a date who knows the score."

A flittering of a smile crossed her lips. Typical Alex. He was worse than George about finding the right woman. Yet George had found one, a silent voice reminded her. She wasn't going to allow herself to dwell on whether or not Olivia was the right woman for George. She needed to close that chapter in her life. She was _going_ to close that chapter in her life. And she was going to do it with Alex on her arm. The more she thought about it, the more perfect it seemed. Alex was a hot guy. A really hot guy. One George had always been jealous of. He had always accused her of having something for her best friend. She'd laughed it off but he had been serious. What better way to get back at him for getting married than to show up with Alex as her boyfriend? "No. I mean, can we go _together? _I can't show up there single. You know? I just can't."

"You want me to pretend to be your boyfriend? Are you insane!" Taking a deep breath, she pulled her trump card and reminded him that he owed her. Hadn't she gone to his ex-girlfriend Rebecca's wedding as his date? Hadn't she hung all over him and giggled like an idiot? Hadn't she told everyone there how fantastic he was in bed? "You're not serious. Iz, you can't be serious! We're not talking about fooling people who didn't know us. We're talking about fooling friends. People we are going to have to deal with after this wedding. What then, huh? What are you going to tell people after the wedding when we go our separate ways?"

"We won't tell them anything. We'll just…pretend for a little while after too. And then, when things have died down, we'll tell everyone we realized we were better off as friends." It was a fool proof plan. Friends dated and then thought better of it all the time. It was a harmless game of pretend. "Please Alex. I'm begging you. Don't make me go to that wedding by myself."

It seemed like forever before he answered. She should have been relieved when he reluctantly agreed to pretend they were a couple. Instead, there was this odd little tingle in her stomach that said they were going down a trail that would change their friendship forever…


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Note: When I started this story I didn't realize my life would take the turn it took. The struggles of the last two years have subsided though and now, as many of my regular readers might have noticed, I am back in the game. Right now I have two goals; to finish Leave Out All The Rest and There All Along. I hope those of you who were interested in this story before are still interested! Things are going to start to get steamy so if you are under the age of 18 you are reading at your own risk! (P.S. This story is a two-part story! The second installment will be posted once this one is completed and will focus on Mark and Lexie) _

Chapter Two

Alex Karev punched the up button for the elevator and watched as the red digital numbers slowly decreased. He wasn't entirely sure why he had agreed to Izzie's ridiculous scheme. Mostly he attributed his compliance with twenty years of friendship. They'd met in pre-school. Mrs. Webber had sat them next to one another. At first he had been pissed that he was the only boy in class who had to sit with a girl. The second week his attitude changed. All because of a cookie. An Oreo cookie to be exact. He'd dropped a crayon and when he bent to pick it up his shirt came un-tucked. Nobody noticed. Except Izzie. She seen what others missed; the ugly purple bruise his father's fist had left. When he straightened, she was staring at him, understanding in her large, dark eyes. She'd pulled an Oreo cookie from the pocket of her purple striped skirt and pressed it into his free hand. He'd picked off the bits of lint and shoved it into his mouth before the teacher could see it and take it away. As he chewed, the quiet girl next to him leaned closer and whispered that her daddy was mean to, only he liked to yell, not hit. It wasn't until they were older that Alex came to the conclusion that Izzie's father yelling was probably more destructive than his old man swinging at him. He could duck his father's fist. Izzie couldn't duck from the words her father flung at her. Horrible, ugly words. Alex would never forget hearing David Stevens call his twelve year old daughter a dirty whore who would only be good for spreading her legs and sucking cock when she got older...just like her mother. All because he had caught Izzie hugging Alex. Eventually her mother Robbie divorced the man when Izzie was fourteen, but the damage was already done. Not in the way most people would expect. Izzie didn't sleep around or experiment with oral sex. She shut that part off. The only time she seemed able to shut her father's voice out of her head was prom night. She'd made Alex buy her condoms and she'd made him tell her the truth about sex. It had been the single most, embarrassing conversation of his life. And in the end it had been for nothing. George dumped her, leaving her with a broken heart and a box of condoms. The condoms she had thrown at Alex, but the broken heart she'd nursed for years. To many years in Alex's opinion. He really hoped she was serious about letting go.

"Earth to Alex!" A well manicured hand waved in front of his face, reminding him he wasn't alone. Letting out a sigh, he glanced to his left, where Izzie stood, her face a mask of worry and excitement. "Did you hear anything I just said?"

Not a single word. He'd been to caught up in thinking about the past. Offering an apologetic grin, Alex shrugged one shoulder. Izzie rolled her large, chocolate brown eyes and told him George had text to see if they made it. "That was nice of him." Sarcasm dripped from his tongue. George was what most people considered a nice guy. Alex wasn't one of those people. He'd been the one to pick up the pieces when George broke Izzie's heart.

"I guess." There was uncertainty in Izzie's voice as she glanced down at her iPhone to read another text. Probably from George. The little weasel. He was getting married in less than two days and he was texting his ex-girlfriend. Alex wondered if Olivia knew Izzie was an ex, or if George had spouted his usual nonsense about Izzie being one of his oldest, dearest friends. "He wants us to meet him and Olivia in the lounge."

"Now?" The last person Alex wanted to spend time with was George. Since they were there for the other man's wedding, Alex knew that was impossible. Still. He didn't want to start the weekend by boozing it up with George.

"No. Not right now." Another roll of her eyes. Izzie's lips puckered a little as she concentrated on what she was texting back. "I told him we'd be down as soon as he got settled into our room." A satisfied smirk twisted her lips. "And that might take a while."

Alex opened his mouth to make a smart retort but the words dried on his tongue as the meaning of her words sunk in. They were just words; said to get under George's skin. Words were never just words though. There was power in words. The ability to create whatever a person wanted. Izzie's words had been meant to create the image of her and Alex making love. She'd meant for George to picture it. To see her beneath Alex, her legs wrapped around Alex's waist, her lips parted as she moaned Alex's name. Alex didn't know if that was the image in George's head, but thanks to Izzie and her desire to taunt George via subtle texting, it was the image in Alex's head. "Great," he muttered. "That's just great." The last thing he wanted was to start thinking of his best friend that way.

"Look, we'll take our time getting ready and when we go down we won't stay long. We'll say hi, maybe have a drink or two. And then we'll...I don't know...come up with an excuse to leave. Maybe get handsy or something. Let him think we're going back to the room for another round of hot, sweaty sex." Any leeway Alex had made in banishing the erotic images from his head went by he wayside. He could practically see a trickle of sweat winding its way between her breasts. Fuck. He was going to have to take a cold shower. A long, cold shower. He'd lock the door and jerk off. If that didn't ease the tension building in his groin he was screwed. George would take one look at him and realize he was sexually frustrated. Other men always sensed that about each other. "What do you think?"

"Sounds good to me," he muttered as the elevator doors slid open. Splaying one hand in the middle of her back, Alex gently shoved Izzie onto the waiting elevator. Electricity shot through the tips of his fingers, up his arm, and throughout his body. Sexual awareness. A sensation he was familiar with, just not when he was touching his best friend. He jerked his hand away, his fingers shaking slightly as he poked at the button labeled twenty-seven. Taking several breaths, he chanced a look in Izzie's direction. From the startled, widening of her eyes he wasn't the only one who had felt something. Their eyes met, held for a moment, and then darted away. The tense awareness still clung to the air around them, making the small space suffocating. He let out a sigh of relief when the elevator slid to a stop and the doors parted. They tumbled out into the hallway that seemed to be a maze of dark wood, mirrors, potted plants and doors. "What's are room number again?"

A lock of long, gold hair fell across Izzie's cheek as she ducked her head to read the numbers on the key-card envelope. "2795," she answered, slightly breathless. Her brow furrowed a little as her gaze swept over the map the front desk attendant had provided. "We're supposed to take a left after we get off the elevator and then take the second right." Her brows arched upward as she looked at him, the corners of her lips twitching as she struggled not to laugh. "I've never stayed in a hotel where I had to have a map to find my room!"

Shrugging, Alex quickened his steps in the direction she'd indicated. The sooner they got to the room the sooner they could change and meet George. The sooner they met George, the sooner they could make their excuses and leave. The sooner they left, the sooner Alex could find a way to sneak out and find some random woman to fuck senseless. A woman he hadn't known for twenty some odd years. It shouldn't be hard to find a woman like that. Not in Las Vegas. Just last month his step-brother Mark had flown to Las Vegas for a conference and come home with tales of dirty, hotel sex with a kinky red-head from California. When Alex first received George's invitation he'd looked at it as his chance to live it up in Sin City; and then he'd thought of Izzie. If George had sent him an invitation he'd certainly sent one to Izzie. He'd put aside thoughts of wild, Las Vegas sex and called his best friend, just to make sure she was okay. She hadn't been. She'd sounded so broken, pathetic even. He'd tried tough love, but couldn't stand firm when she asked if he was trying to tell her they weren't friends anymore. It had tugged at his heart and when she'd asked him to pretend they were a couple while at the wedding, he'd agreed. How could he not? Izzie was his everything. The one person in his life who fully understood him.

"Alex?" The hesitant wa she spoke his name ruffled his composure even further. He tried to pretend he hadn't heard her, that he was focused on finding their room. "Alex!"

"What?" The gruff way he barked out the question didn't seem to phase her. She halted in the middle of the hallway, her lower lip tucked between her teeth. He could practically see her heart pounding beneath her pale yellow racer-back tank top. The pink and white Coach duffle bag shed brought dropped to the floor as she tok a hesitant step toward him. The tip of her tongue darted out to lick her lips as she stared at him. Logic told him to pick up her bag, to hand it to her, and demand that she unlock the door to their room so they could get ready for the meeting with George. Logic slipped away as he moved his arm. Instead of reaching for the leather handle of her luggage, he reached for her. Curling his fingers into the soft fabric of her top he gently pulled her towards him. Her body had been pressed against his before. They'd hugged many times throughout the years. It was different this time. This time her body wasn't flush with his as they hugged. He set his duffle of the floor, using his newly freed hand to slide up her arm, his fingertips relishing the softness of her tanned flesh beneath them. Slowly, he grazed the side of her neck, before finally burying his fingers in the silky strands of her hair. Her eyes fluttered closed as she slightly tipped her head to the left, her lips parting in invitation.

There was a line that Alex couldn't see but could damn well feel. If he crossed it, if he so much as brushed his lips across her's, there would be no going back. He meant to resist, to stand firm in his resolve not to throw away twenty years of friendship on lust. Resolve was nothing but a weak coward when faced with the carnal desires racing through his blood. Closing his own eyes, he lowered his head. Her lips were every bit as soft as her skin. He could taste the strawberry flavor of her gloss and the lingering mint of the mouth wash she had used that morning. He should have stopped there. Called curiosity sated. He wasn't sated though, and from the way she arched her back, pressing her body closer to his, neither was she. He dug his fingers into her scalp and teased the tip of his tongue passed her lips. She opened for him like a flower blooming beneath the spring sun. Slowly. Sweetly. The electricity that had shot through him earlier was nothing compared to the jolt coursing through him now. He unfurled his hand from her shirt and wrapped that arm around her waist. The room was right there. He'd seen their room number etched on the gold plate before she'd looked at him.

Their feet tangled as Alex tried to move them toward the door. Izzie's back hit it, a loud thud echoing through the hall. Her lips barely broke from his as she let out a groan. "We shouldn't have done that," she whispered, her voice thick with an emotion he couldn't figure out. It didn't matter. She was right. They shouldn't have kissed. He shouldn't have crossed the line. It had happened though. They couldn't undo it. She cleared her throat as she handed him the key card. "I can never get these things to work right."

Fighting back a curse, Alex accepted the key and quickly slid it in and out of the electronic lock on the door. He waited until the little light went from red to green before shoving the door open. His feet felt like they were cemented to the floor. Behind him, he heard Izzie suck in her breath. He knew why. It was the same reason he was cursing like a sailor. One bed. One large, king sized bed with a black duvet and a mountain of silver pillows. The sort of bed people had hot, wild sex in. This wasn't what he'd booked. He'd asked for two beds. The reservation clerk had assured him she would try to book him into a double. Try, he thought sourly. Try. NOt that she would. Just that she would try. Well hell. They were just going to have to find a different hotel. One where they could get two beds or, better yet, two rooms. "Let's go."

"Where?" Izzie shook her head. "The front desk? You heard what they told the couple behind us. They're full."

"Then we'll go to another hotel." Izzie shook her head again. All their friends were going to be staying there. The wedding was taking place there. Everyone knew they already had a room. There was no logical reason to go to another hotel. She was right. He knew she was right. That didn't change the fact that they were stuck in a room with one bed.

"Look, we're both adults. It's only three days. We can handle sharing a bed for three days." There wasn't much conviction in her voice. After the kiss in the hall, Alex wasn't surprised. He'd kissed a lot of women, hell he had fucked a lot of women, but that kiss...it had been unlike anything he'd ever experienced. The best thing would to be forget it ever happened. "Alex." The way she said his name was like gasoline on the fire burning low in his belly. "DO you remember what you told me when I asked you about sex?" Shit. She was going to bring up that conversation? Biting back a sigh, he nodded. He'd told her sex could be dirty, in a fun way, but when it was with someone she loved it wouldn't feel that way. It would be special. He'd spouted off sentimental bull shit to make her feel better. "I love you. You're my best friend and I trust you." She stepped around him to retrieve her bag from the hall, reminding him he needed to do the same. "Do you want the bathroom or do you think you can change quicker than me?" Wrinkling his brow, he shot her an odd look. "George. Olivia. The lounge." Crap. They were supposed to change and meet George and his wife to be. He'd been so caught up in the kiss and the weird conversation afterward that he'd forgotten.

"Bathroom," Alex muttered, tossing his bag on to the middle of the bed. He dug out a vintage style t shirt and some dark washed jeans. He'd brought nicer clothes, but wearing them would require ironing them first. He wasn't in the mood. His current goal was to change as quickly as possible, get the blasted meeting with George over with, and then force Izzie to explain what the hell she had meant when she said she loved him, because damn it, he loved her to...and he was starting to wonder if it was something more than just twenty years of friendship.


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Note: First things first. Thank you to everyone who took the time to read, favorite, follow, and review. You are all amazing in my book. Secondly, this chapter kicked my butt. I hope you enjoy it! Leave a review to let me know you are still reading! :)_

Chapter Three

A burning ache pulsated in the apex of Izzie's thighs as she sank onto the edge of the bed. Pressing her knees together, she sent up a silent prayer the sensation would go away. The pressure made it worse. Under different circumstances she would strip down to nothing, slide between the sheets of her bed, part her legs, and let her fingers work a bit of half-ass magic. With only a thin, wooden door separating her from Alex that wasn't an option. She squirmed, biting back a small whimper as the lace of her panties rubbed against her clit. This was ridiculous. All Alex had done was kiss her. She'd been kissed before. A few had even been as hot as Alex. None of them had turned her on to the point that she was ready to yank off her clothes and spread her legs for them. Alex had though. If she hadn't tripped and fell against the door, she had no doubt that right about now her cherry would be popped. The disappointment coursing through her was almost as surprising as the desire burning through her body. It was normal to feel that way, she told herself as she pressed the palms of her hands into the mattress beneath her. Pushing upward, she rose. She carefully walked across the room to where her suitcase sat on a red club chair. Each step she took was torture. It was as though her clothing and body had formed an alliance against logic and were determined to remind her that she needed...wanted...sex. Her pretty face twisted into a scowl as she reached for the hem of her yellow cotton top. Her fingers shook slightly as she bunched the material in her fists and tugged it upward. She droped it to the floor, kicked off her sandals and unzipped her shorts. Pushing the material downward with one hand, she caught her blue lacey boy cut panties with the other. Her lips curled inward as she shot a nervous glance toward the closed bathroom door. A few weeks ago the idea of Alex walking in on her partially naked wouldn't have bothered her. They'd ran through sprinklers in nothing but their underwear when they were little. Once, after a mud fight when they were five, her mother had thrown them in the shower together. Her father hadn't been home. If he had been, Izzie could only imagine the disgusting things he would have said.

"Stop thinking about him," she whispered. Whether she meant her father or Alex, she didn't know. It didn't really matter. She needed to focus on getting dressed. Mentally, she went through the contents of her suitcase. She'd packed three dresses. The one she wanted to wear was a strapless, white ruched number that hit her mid-thigh and clung to every curve. When she'd packed it, she'd done so with the intent of showing George what he was missing. Now, as she shimmied into the silky material, her only thoughts were of Alex. What would he think of the dress? Would he appreciate the way it fit her body like a glove? Would his thoughts turn towards stripping it from her body? "For the love of God," she cried, thoroughly disgusted with herself. This was Alex she was thinking about. Alex! Her best friend. The one constant in her life. Twenty years of friendship wasn't worth losing just because she was horny.

She'd just finished dragging the side zipper up when the bathroom door opened. Purposely averting her eyes, Izzie concentrated on locating the nude heels she'd packed. Other than the sandals she ahd worn and a pair of Sperry's they were the only shoes she'd brought. Nude went with everything. Placing one hand on the chair for balance, Izzie used the other to pull on the stillettos one at a time. She straightened and turned, a gasp catching in her throat as she almost collided with the object of her over-active imagination. "Shit," she blurted out, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt as she steadied herself. As their eyes locked, Izzie felt a sense of deja vu. Her lips parted slightly, her breathing quickened as she tilted her head. A soft whimper of relief formed in the back of her throat as Alex's lips descended upon her's. Slowly, his hands skimmed down her sides, his fingers lingering near the hem of her dress before sliding upward. She felt one of his fingers toying with the lace crotch of her panties. Yes please, she thought as the finger brushed aside the material. A second finger joined the first, the tips of both pressing against her clit, massaging the swollen little nub. Her grip on his shirt tightened as he slowly teased one finger between her folds. She'd played with herself numerous times over the years, but shed never let a man touch her. George had tried a few times in high school. Each time her father's voice had been in her head, calling her a whore. She'd grabbed his hand, told him she wasn't ready. Most times George understood. A few times he'd gotten angry. When she'd questioned Alex about George's frustrations, Alex had told her guys liked to have sex and if she wasn't going to have sex with the poor guy she needed to let him go. He had been joking. Joking or not, he had put the idea of just getting it over with in her head. Which led to their discussion on sex. Alex had told her that with the right guy it wouldn't feel dirty. With the right guy she wouldn't hear her father's voice. She waited, listening intently. Not even a whisper of her father's demented slurs.

Izzie bit back a moan as Alex fully slid one of his long, thick fingers fully in. It felt different from when she did it. There was a slight burning, mingling with a pressure unlike anything she'd ever felt. She'd always been able to bring herself to orgasm. It was easy. She knew her body. So did Alex, apparently. Each stroke of his finger pushed her closer and closer. "Oh God," she whispered, sucking in her breath as he withdrew his finger, only to have a second join the first when he dipped back in. It hurt, a little, as he thrust the fingers updward, the pad of his thumb seeking out and finding her clit. Sweet Jesus! "Oh God!" She barely recognized the throaty voice moaning, but knew it was her own. It w felt as though a bubble were quickly growing, ever expanding, until the pressure popped. As the last of her whimpers died she felt his hand withdrawing from between her legs. "Alex, please!"

Alex's forehead touched hers, his breath hot against her cheek. "We can't." The thickness of his voice told her he wanted to go further. Even if it hadn't, the bulge in his pants did. She relaxed her hold on his shirt, trailing one hand south. She tip-toed her fingers across the denim that stretched over his erection. "Iz, don't." His fingers curled around her wrist, gently tugging her hand away. "We can't."

"Yes," she purred, "we can."

"No." His head shook. "I shouldn't have done that." This time the thickness in his voice caused her to take a step back, confusion on her face. He sounded disgusted. With himself? With her? She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him, hurt filling her eyes. He shot her a pained look before letting out a sigh." Twenty years," he whispered. "We've been friends for twenty years. I can't throw that away. I won't throw it away. Not for something..." Alex clamped his mouth shut.

Humiliation burned behind Izzie's eyes. Fighting the urge to cry she nodded. She understood. They were friends. That is all Alex seen when he looked at her. Except he had kissed her. He had touched her. He had done those things on his own without any prompting from her. "You kissed me," she pointed out, stalking over to her bag. She pulled out a large, hot pink pouch. "And you...well...you...you...you know what you just did!" Casting him a scathing look over her shoulder, Izie quirked one brow up. The blank expression on his face gave away nothing. Asshole. He had always been good at hiding how he felt. He couldn't hide this time. Not from her. She would prod him until he answered.

"Can we just drop it? Better yet, let's forget it ever happened." Alex dropped into the empty chair adjacent from her suitcase. He propped his elbows on his knees, his chin tucked close to his chest. "We need to hurry. George and Olivia are waiting."

"Seriously?" The scowl marring Izzie's face deepened. He wanted to forget everything that had just happened. Maybe, given his reputation with women, he was able to do that, but she wasn't. With shaking hands, she dumped out the contents of her make up bag on the counter. She took a few calming breaths before picking up her favorite MAC eye-shadow compact. As she set to work on amping up her eye make up she tried to understand were Alex was coming from. He hadn't said he wasn't interested. All his actions said he was. His mouth kept spouting out nonsense about twenty years. The eye shadow brush in her right hand paused. It was their friendship. He didn't want to lose their friendship and hew as afraid that if they had sex he would. Smoothing out a bit of silvery eye shadow, Izzie let out a sigh before dropping the brush back into the bag. She picked up a tube of peach lip gloss, applied a thin coat, tossed it down, and then turned around to find Alex leaning against a nearby wall, watching her. "Maybe you can forget, but I can't." Stepping around him, she walked over to were she'd left her phone. Three missed texts. Two from George, one letting her know he was in the lounge and another asking where they were. The third was from her mother letting her know her neighbor Mrs. Duquette's grandson Denny was in town and wouldn't it be nice if Izzie showed him around town. "She never stops," Izzie muttered. She shot off a reply to George, letting him know they were heading down. Her mother didn't deserve an answer. This Denny was probably an even bigger creep than the last guy her mother had set her up with. Shane the octopus. Just thinking about the guy sent a shudder through Izzie's body. She'd had to pull out her pepper spray to detour the guy. When that didn't phase him, she threatened him with the cops; going so far as to tell him her best friend was a cop. Whether Shane had believed her or not was moot. Alex had chosen that moment to pul up in his squad car. Her apartment was closer to the precinct than his house and he wanted something to eat. Shane had taken one look at Alex in his uniform and he'd taken off.

"It would be better if you did," Alex argued.

"Why?" It was childish the way she kept asking him why but she wanted answers. Experience had taught her the only way effectively get answers out of Alex was to push his buttons until he blew up and responded just to shut her up. "I'm serious Alex. I want to know why. If any other woman offered you no strings attached sex you wouldn't hesitate."

Anger twisted his face. "Is that what you want? For me to treat you like all those bar whores I've screwed?" Her eyes widened as she closed the difference between them, a predatory glint in his light brown eyes. She should have backed off. Or at least been scared. She wasn't. This was Alex. He had never hurt her and she didn't see him hurting her now. Adrenaline surged through her veins as he yanked her body up against his. His mouth crushed against hers. This kiss wasn't slow and sweet like the last two, but full of pent up desire. She responded by digging her fingers into his scalp, urging him closer still. He broke the kiss, his eyes burning into hers. She could feel his heart pounding through the material of their clothing. "I love you," he whispered hoarsely, shock dialating his pupils as he trailed a finger down her cheek. She nodded, murmuring the words in return. They had always said the words to one another. After twenty years of friendship it would be insane not to. Yet, this time she knew the words held something more. This time, when his mouth covered her's she knew there would be no stopping.


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's Note: I would like to dedicate this chapter to Nathalie and Tatiana. Nathalie you gave me the kick in the butt I needed to write again. Tatiana, your friendship over the years means so much to me. I hope this chapter lives up to everyone's anticipation. _

Chapter Four  
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The line between friendship and something more blurred beyond recognition as Alex teased his tongue between Izzie's lips. She tasted so sweet. So, so sweet. Like the pink iced cupcakes he'd bought her for her birthday. He moved his mouth from her lips to her jaw, pressing tiny butterfly kisses against the delicate skin of her throat. Beneath his lips, her pulse beat faster than hummingbird wings. Alex felt his fingers start to shake as he cupped the nape of her neck in one of his hands. The other hand slowly skimmed up her arm, pausing as it neared her shoulder. He couldn't get over how soft she was. Softer than velvet. He wondered if it was all from the expensive lotions she liked to buy or if she was just naturally soft. Maybe it was both. Either way, Alex didn't think he would ever get enough of touching her. He wanted to feel more. He needed to feel to feel more. He moved his fingers from her arm to the side of her dress. The zipper was one of those that were designed to be invisible. It took a little manipulation to work it down. As the material parted more and more of her tanned flesh was exposed to his hungry gaze. He couldn't resist tugging the dress down around her waist, freeing her breasts. Lowering his head he plucked at one nipple with his teeth. He drew the little nub into his mouth, gently sucking. "Alex," she softly moaned, her fingers burying themselves in his hair. He wrapped one arm around her waist, his fingers splaying across the small of her back, while the other hand slid down her spine. She arched away from the touch, a giggle erupting from her peach glossed lips. So she was ticklish on her back. Interesting. Alex filed the information away for later. For now, he concentrated on working her dress the rest of the way down her body. It pooled at her feet, reminding him that she still wore the ridiculous heels she had put on. IF she were a bit more experienced, Alex would have suggested she leave them on. Maybe next time, he thought as he guided her toward the edge of the bed. He gave her a shove backward, chuckling as she landed with a slight bounce, her legs splayed open. God, she was hot. It was like having someone serve up his favorite fantasy on a silver platter. He could admit now. Somewhere, in the deepest recess of his mind, he had always wanted Izzie.

"Don't stare," Izzie whispered, her cheeks blazing as red as the throw pillows behind her. Crouching before her, Alex slid both his hands down her well formed calf. He wrapped the fingers of one hand around her slender ankle while he used the other to tug off the flesh colored heel. He repeated the process with the other shoe before placing his palms on her knees. Applying gentle pressure he pushed them further apart, exposing her lace covered womanhood. "Alex," she choked out lifting her head off the bed. Her brown eyes widened as he licked a trail from her inner thigh to the edge of her panties. He hipped at her clitoris through the blue lace. "Oh my God." Her head flopped back onto the bed, her fists balling in the duvet beneath her. "Oh. My. God." He nipped her again before hooking the sides of her panties with his thumbs. He dragged the flimsy material down her legs and tossed them over his shoulder. "No fair! You stole all my clothes and you're still dressed!"

"Can't have that," Alex teased, tugging his shirt over his head. He moved off the bed, unzipping his jeans. He shoved the thick material, as well as his boxers, down and kicked them aside. His heart started to pound as he reclaimed his place between her legs. One would think he had never been with a woman before. It had always been sex, and this was making love. That was the only way he could think of what they were about to do. He looked down at her, seeing her not as his best friend but as a woman he loved. He couldn't recall the exact time she ceased being his best friend. Maybe it was when he kissed her in the hall, or maybe it was all those years ago when she asked him what it was like to have sex. Looking back, he was a little amazed at how gentle he had been with his explanations. Most teenage boys would have been crude or explicit. He had told her that with the right man she wouldn't feel afraid. It wouldn't feel dirty. Who would have thought he would turn out to be that guy. He brushed his lips across her's, savoring the sweetness that always seemed to linger there. He could spend hours doing nothing but kissing her. Kissing and touching. Sliding a hand between their bodies, he stroked his fingers against her damp folds. A soft moan filled his ear as he eased his middle and index fingers into her tightness. Her hips rolled in time with the gentle thrusting of his fingers. He could hear her panting, feeling her breaths coming hot and quick against the side of his neck. It took all his will power not to replace his fingers with his dick. He wanted her to come first. To give her a taste of passion before he hurt her. It wouldn't be long. He could already feel her muscles contracting. He felt his erection jump in anticipation. Slow. He had to go slow. As experienced as he was, she was just as inexperienced.

"Oh God. Oh God. Oh God," she panted, her head tipping back as she let herself go. He waited until her breathing had slowed to a normal rate to remove his hand. He nuzzled her neck, savoring the way she felt in his arms. "Alex," she whispered, her fingers untangling from the duvet and coming to rest on his hips. "Please don't stop."

"I don't think I could, even if you asked me to," he whispered back, knowing that wasn't true. If she called the whole thing to a halt right then and there he would stop. The last thing he ever wanted to do was hurt her. He'd watched her deal with enough pain over the years. He didn't want to inflict more. It was the one thing holding him back. Hurting her. He knew most men loved being a woman's first. He didn't think he was one of those guys. Just thinking about inflicting pain, even pain that would lead to pleasure, was enough to give him pause.

"I'm glad," Izzie smiled up at him, her dark eyes twinkling. She looped one arm around his neck as one of her legs slid up and over his hip. It aligned his dick perfectly with her entrance. He could feel her swollen clit brushing against the head of his erection, teasing him with what was his for the taking. He caught her gaze with his as he nudged the thick tip of his penis between her labia. She was so fucking tight. Almost to tight. He pushed harder, her wetness making it possible for him to ease in a little further. Her lower lip started to tremble, her nails digging into his shoulder as he pushed again. This time he could feel the thickness of her cherry. A tear trickled from the corner of her eye. Shit. He couldn't do it. He couldn't hurt her like this. "It's okay," she squeaked, wrapping her other leg around him. It wasn't okay. "Alex. I promise. It's okay. It's supposed to hurt." Maybe it was, but he didn't have to be the guy who inflicted the pain. Did he? Yes, he realized, he did. He couldn't stomach the thought of another man doing what he was about to do. He buried his face in her neck, unable to watch her eyes glaze with pain as he withdrew and then thrust deep. Her cry ripped at his heart as he felt her innocence give way. The painful whimper should have killed his desire. It didn't. How could it when she enveloped his body so deliciously? He felt like he had died and found heaven between her thighs. Alex waited a moment, letting her grow use to the invasion of his body inside her's before starting the oldest dance in time. Slow thrusts in and out. Hips rising and falling as she caught on. Lips parting in moans of pleasure. Her nails scraping down his back. Quicker thrusts that made her cry out, not from pain but pleasure. His own cries mixing with her's as he withdrew and thrust one final time. He fought back a curse as he felt himself release inside her womb. It was the first time he had ever forgotten a condom. The first time he hadn't pulled out. Once didn't matter. Did it?

"Wow," Izzie breathed, her arms wrapping around him as they lay there, their flushed bodies cooling in the afterglow. "Wow," she repeated, giggling a little. She sighed in the way only a woman who had just had an orgasm could sigh. "Remind me again why we didn't do this sooner."

Alex couldn't help it. He laughed. "I don't know," he admitted. Nothing made sense any more. Not their friendship. Not the overwhelming feelings rushing through him. They couldn't go back to being just friends, he knew that much. There was something more than friendship between them. He just didn't know what.


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Note: The last chapter was difficult to write. I haven't written a semi-graphic sex scene in ages. For me, it was just awful! It felt and read as though a child wrote it. This chapter is much better. Yes, yes, we have more sex in this chapter. I had to redeem myself. And while I could have waited, why should I? We all enjoy Alex and Izzie sex almost as much as Alex and Izzie do! He he. We also get a glimpse into the real reason George broke up with Izzie all those years ago. It is subtle so be looking for it. Let me know your thoughts in the reviews! I need the encouragement this week. _

**Chapter Five**

The face hovering over Izzie was as familiar as her own, yet it felt as though she were seeing Alex for the first time. Gone was the friend she had known for twenty years. In that comfortable companions place was a man who made her heart beat faster and her body ached to be touched. "Wow," she breathed, once her pulse started to slow from its frantic race. Alex's light brown eyes locked with her darker one's, twin dimples winking in his cheeks as a silly grin stretched across his lips. He rubbed his nose against hers. An Eskimo kiss her mother used to call it. She giggled, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Wow," she repeated, still in awe of what had just transpired. She hadn't known it could be like that. She hadn't known the earth could move. She hadn't known stars could dance before her eyes. She hadn't known she could feel so connected to another human being. Now that she knew, it wasn't a feeling she was willing to let go of. "Remind me again why we didn't do this sooner."

Alex let out a laugh. "I don't know why." Something in his eyes changed. The desire softened to a combination of love and confusion. Those tumulus feelings were feelings Izzie understood all to well. Nothing about what they had just done made sense. Except, on some level, she acknowledged, it made perfect sense. She could see it all so clearly now. The struggle not to thin of Alex as something more than a friend. Pushing anything but the most platonic of feelings into the deepest recess of her heart. She had even gone as far as obsessing over a man she only had lukewarm feelings for just so she wouldn't accidentally slip up and think of her best friend as something more than a best friend. It felt good not to have to suppress those feelings. It was also a tad bit scary.

"Don't answer that," she pleaded when the shrill wail of the room phone cut through the happy bubble that had erected around them. She wasn't ready to become part of the real world just yet. She wanted to wallow in blissful afterglow just a bit longer, with Alex's naked body flush against her equally naked body. Alex shot her an apologetic grin before stretching one arm over to pick up the handset. He mumbled a greeting that faded into a groan. His forehead dipped down to rest against hers, the mouth piece of the phone slightly pressing into her cheek. It was rather strange that someone had called the room and not one of their cells. Hardly anybody knew that they had arrived in Las Vegas. Except George. George! Her eyes widened. They had forgotten all about meeting George. Biting back a giggle, she couldn't resist saying "tell him we got distracted! That we'll be down after we take a shower!"

"Did you catch that," Alex asked, his eyes sparkling with amusement. His lips twitched with suppressed laughter as he stretched again, this time to replace the handset in the cradle. The movement rubbed his penis against her tender pussy. It was a delicious mix of pleasure and pain. She lift her lips slightly, this time his mushroomed shaped tip butting against her sensitive clit. Oh God it felt so good. She did it again, pressing harder this time. A gasp formed in her throat as Alex responded in return. That felt...amazing! His hands slid beneath her, settling on her waist. "You told George we were going to take a shower and come down," he murmured, nuzzling her ear with his nose.

"Uh uh," she tsked. "I told him we would be down after we took a shower. I never said when we would be taking a shower." An understanding smirk twisted Alex's mouth. He flexed his hips, pressed a kiss to her nose, and then lightly smacked her ass. Her lips rounded into a surprised oh. He laughed and told her to get a move on it. The shower was calling their names. She watched in stunned silence as he slid from the bed and strode towards the bathroom. Half-way there he paused. He looked over his shoulder and asked if she was coming. "Yeah," she whispered. She'd rather he come back to the bed. Repeating their earlier performance would be much more fun than standing under a spray of water. Sighing, she scooted across the bed winching as the sheets chafed against the tenderness between her thighs. She glanced down, blanching at the traces of blood that marred her inner thighs. It wasn't uncommon for a woman to bleed the first time. She knew that. She had expected there to be blood. Expecting and seeing were two different things. It made it all so much more real. Her innocence was gone. She sat there, waiting for some sort of regret to seep in. Nothing. She felt nothing. Her only thoughts were of how right it had been. Not just the act itself but the man as well. If it had been anyone other than Alex she didn't think she would be so calm about it Her mind would have reverted back to all the hideous things her father used to say. Even now, thinking about the ugly names he had called her, had her flinching. What sort of man told his twelve year old daughter she as going to be nothing but a cock sucking whore? To this day she didn't understand why he had said it. All she had done was give her best friend a hug. A quick, innocent hug. Another father would have seen it for what it was; a friend comforting another friend whose parents were going through a nasty divorce. That hadn't been the first time her father called her inappropriate names, nor was it the last time, but it was the time that stood out the most. Alex had borne witness to some of the exchange before her father demanded that he leave. It was after Alex left that things got uglier. Her father had asked if she let Alex touch her or if Alex liked it when she used her mouth on him. They had been twelve! She hadn't even known what any of that meant. She'd started crying and shaking her head. The next day she asked her older neighbor what the words meant. It was in that moment she started looking at Alex different. He was no longer her best friend but a boy. A really cute boy. Maybe that was why she had fought her feelings for Alex for so long. If not for that scene with her father she might not have ever thought anything remotely sexual about Alex. Don't, she told herself, don't think about your dad. Don't let him ruin this. Raising her chin slightly, she stood up Her legs felt a little rubbery as she walked across the room. She could already hear the water running.

"Took you long enough," Alex accused as she gingerly stepped into the frost glass cube shower that was angled in one corner of the spacious bathroom. The other corner was occupied by a Jacuzzi tub. Big enough for two, she noted. Perhaps she could talk Alex into testing that theory. Later of course. Heaven forbid George had to wait any longer. At the thought Izzie mentally rolled her eyes. Let him wait. He had left her waiting plenty of times over the years. It would serve him right if they didn't show up at all. No, that wouldn't do. For one thing it was rude and for another she really did want to see him. She needed to see him. She needed him to see that she had let him go. Maybe then they could find a way to be friends. Real friends. Not the uncomfortable acquaintance they'd been calling a friendship.

"Sorry," she murmured, offering Alex an apologetic grin. He didn't say anything. He just stared at her and then reached for her. She stepped willingly into his embrace, closing her eyes as his mouth met hers in a hungry kiss. His hands slid down her arms, the touch so faint she wasn't sure if it were him or the rivets of water that streamed down both their bodies. His fingers wrapped around her slender wrists and dragged her arms upward. The act confused her at first but understanding dawned as he placed her hands on his shoulders. She looped her arms around his neck, gasping as his fingers gently stroked between her legs. No, silently cried when his hand moved from her aching pussy to the curve of her hip. His other hand settled on her other hip, his strong fingers slightly digging into her flesh. She felt her feet slowly lifting from the ground as he raised her legs so that they were balanced on his hips. Her lips parted to ask him what he was doing. Instead of the question a moan of satisfaction came out as he thrust into her. With no barrier to slow him down, he slammed into her tender cervix. Sweet Jesus it felt good. So, so good. Fighting the slickness of the water, she wrapped her legs fully around his waist, hooking one ankle over the other. He was killing her. The way he withdrew only to quickly thrust back in. Her body seemed torn between heavenly bliss and hellish pain. The two were so interconnected, Izzie didn't know where one began and the other ended. She didn't care. All that mattered was the sensations rippling through her body. He felt so good. The way he filled and stretched her. The way he pushed deep into her womb, moving so slowly she could feel the thick, rigid vein that ran the length of his penis. Her friend Cristina would be impressed. The other woman was always talking about the men she'd picked up in bars. Complaining mostly. She'd once dated a guy with an eight inch dick and according to her it had ruined her for any other man. If Izzie were to take a guess she would put Alex a about nine inches. She didn't want to think about how thick he was. Her mind would probably bulk, tensing up her body. Better to focus on the way he made her feel. Alive, was the first word that came to mind. She felt as though she had been walking through life, only half living. Now she felt complete. Like she were finally whole, when she hadn't even realized her other half was missing. No. That wasn't right. She'd never felt incomplete because from the time she was four years old her other half had been right there. She just hadn't realized how connected they could be. That was a better way to describe how she felt. Fully connected. Fully alive. "I love you," she gasped, tightening her hold around his neck.

"I love you to," he echoed as he plunged deep. She felt the hot burst of something coating the inside of her womb, flinching slightly when Alex let out a stream of curses. "We haven't been using anything, he groaned when she asked what was wrong. He let her legs fall. She stumbled a moment before finding her balance. Her brow wrinkled. What did he mean by they hadn't been using anything? As though he could sense her confusion he explained "we haven't used any condoms Izzie, so unless you're on the pill..." She felt the blood draining from her face. There had never been a reason to get on the pill. "Shit. You're not taking anything are you?" The harsh tone of his voice, paired with the accusation that it was somehow her fault for not thinking ahead, she blinked back the tears that had started to form the moment he reminded her they hadn't used condoms. She glanced downward, bending slightly to pick up the small complimentary bottle of shampoo the hotel provided. She tuned out the rest of his ranting while se lathered up her hair, using the excess suds to scrub her sticky body. Closing her eyes she let the water sluice over her, washing away the soap as well as some of the tension Alex's raised voice had caused. He wasn't her father. His words weren't meant to hurt her. He was scared. If he could just calm down she would tell him the timing was probably off. Her cycle was never regular, which meant she probably wouldn't have any easy time of getting pregnant. That was how it had been for her boss Miranda. Miranda's cycle was as spotty as Izzie's and it had taken her and her husband two years of trying to get pregnant before their son William was born. "Iz," Alex's softer tone drew her attention away from rinsing the soap from her body. "I'm sorry I yelled."

"It's okay," she whispered, smiling tentatively. "I...I think I'm going to get out. Blow dry my hair and get ready." She kept her gaze averted as she stepped out of the warm shower and into the bathroom. A shiver convulsed her body as she reached for one of the fluffy, white robes that hung on the back of the bathroom door.

"Izzie." Alex's voice sounded clearer as the steady hum of the shower ceased. She shrugged on the robe, lifting her long, wet hair over the collar. "I shouldn't have yelled and I'm sorry."

"I know. You said that already." She offered another smile, this one slightly bigger than the last. It didn't quite reach her eyes. It didn't seem to offer Alex any respite from the guilt he felt from raising his voice. "It really is okay. I get it. You're freaking out. You shouldn't. It's the wrong time of the month."

"There is no wrong time of the month," Alex muttered grabbing for one of the towels that were neatly stacked on a dark wooden shelf that hung over the toilet. Surprisingly it was big for a hotel towel and actually fit around his waist, much to Izzie's disappointment. She reached for a smaller one to use on her hair, stepping back as Alex walked out of the bathroom. "We'll just have to be careful from now on," he called from the room. "And when we get home you have to get on birth control." His words caused her heart to skip a beat. Part of her had been wondering if this would be a what happens in Vegas sort of thing or if it was something they were going to truly pursue. How she had her answer. Sort of. Alex definitely wanted to keep having sex. Izzie wasn't opposed to that, but she wanted more. She wanted a future with him. One that included a trip down the aisle, babies, and doing something with his grandma's house. The way he was letting the place go was sad. It was a historical landmark, for crying out loud! It deserved a picket fence, rose bushes, and the laughter of two, maybe three kids. If she could even get pregnant. When she went for birth control she would have to ask her doctor about that. All the cysts she'd had rupture when she was younger, along with the spotty cycle had never concerned her before now. Now she needed to know. She wanted to know. She had to know. She wanted to know if there would be babies in her future with Alex. Perhaps she was letting her imagination run wild but she didn't think it was wrong to assume she could have that sort of future with Alex. "Hey you okay?" Alex stuck his head back into the bathroom. While she had been daydreaming, he had dressed in the t-shirt and jeans he'd discarded. She edged past him and into the room. Time for her to follow suit and get dressed.

"Yeah. Sorry. Was just thinking." The smile that curved her lips felt more natural that the two she had tried to force. Her smile widened even more when he asked what she had been thinking about. There was a loaded question. "Us," she answered honestly as she dug a fresh pair of panties from her bag. As she pulled on the hot pink and white zebra print bikinis, she decided against putting on the white dress she'd been determined to wear earlier. Her reasons for wearing it were no longer important. She no longer wanted George to realize what he was missing and the rumpled bed, as well as the tenderness between her legs, were proof Alex wanted her.

"Yeah? What about us?" Alex slipped behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. It was tempting to turn around and whisper something naughty in his ear, like she'd been thinking about how amazing it had felt to have him inside her. Instead she took a deep breath and asked him where this weekend left them. Were they friends with benefits? Were they something more? "Seriously? You have to ask?" She felt his arms fall away, felt the warmth of his body leaving as he stepped back.

"Yes, I have to ask," Izzie insisted, turning around to face him. The wounded look on his face cut her to the quick. Even more cutting was his lack of words. He stared at her for a moment, shaking his head, and then turned on the ball of his foot. "Alex, you have to understand..."

"I do," he said quietly. "I do understand. I'm not the one who is confused here." He paused near the door, a sad smile on his face. "I'm going to meet George. I'll see you in a bit." She called his name again, her heart pounding wildly. Her eyes started to burn as he walked out. As the door quietly shut behind him, she burst into tears. He was wrong. She wasn't confused. She knew exactly what she wanted. She was just to scared to go after it. Wasn't she?


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Izzie didn't trust him. Twenty years of friendship and Izzie didn't trust him. If that wasn't some fucked up bull shit Alex didn't know what was. His right fist clenched, flexed, and clenched again as impatiently waited for the elevator. Over the years he had put up with a lot from her. The George obsession. Her nagging about the women he dated. Phone calls and texts demanding to know if he was being safe on the job. Lectures on how he wasn't eating right. He wasn't even going to think about the arguments they'd had over the house his grandmother had left him. Izzie wanted him to add fussy lace curtains and tear up the old carpet so the hardwood floors underneath could be re-done. He had tolerated it all. Why wouldn't he? They had been friends for twenty years, that allowed for a few intrusions into each other's lives. It should have also been a given that they trusted each other. Even when Izzie did something he didn't understand, Alex trusted her. Why couldn't she give him the same? She was always quick to say she loved him or trusted him but when it came right down to showing it Izzie froze. Some of her behavior stemmed from how she had been raised. Neither of her parents had trusted the other. It had been a virtual warzone of accusations and mistrust. He could see how that sort of example could cause a person to mistrust anyone thy got involved with. He wasn't just anyone. He was the guy who had been by her side since they were four. That had to count for something. It sure as hell counted in his book.

"...don't want to be here!"

Alex glanced to his left, where two women had walked out of a nearby room. One had wavy, dark blonde hair and the greenest eyes he had ever seen, while the other had a mass of chocolate brown hair and smoky eyes that were tipped up at the corner. Both were pretty. Just not pretty enough to tempt him into flirting or forgetting about the woman he had left in his own hotel room. He forced a polite smile as they moved to stand near him, obviously wanting to catch the elevator when it showed up. He wasn't in the mood for company and prayed they weren't the chatty type.

"You can't keep holing up in that apartment," the blonde hissed. The brunette shot her a wounded look, tears forming on her ashes. Great. The last thing he wanted was to ride the elevator down with a crying female. Especially one that looked ready to fall apart at any moment. "I'm not trying to be mean, Lexie, but at some point you have to start living again."

"You think I don't know that? I'm just not ready! Jesus, Meredith, it's only been five months! I think I'm allowed a year before you start pushing." Whatever they were talking about went far deeper than a break-up and Alex wanted no part of it. He had his own issues to deal with. He murmured some random excuse and started back toward his room. Half-way there he stopped. Standing in the middle of the hall, hands shoved in his pockets, Alex let out a sigh. He couldn't go back to the room. Izzie was still there. Son of a bitch. He wasn't ready to see her. It still rankled that after twenty years she didn't trust him. That said something about the state of their friendship. he wasn't sure if he was angry or hurt. Both, he decided. Anger over how easily she assumed he was using her. Hurt that after twenty years she didn't know him better than that. He felt his fist starting to clench all over again. God he wanted to hit something. Anything. This trip had put a huge dent in his savings and he couldn't afford to pay for damages, which meant he had best keep his temper in check. He leaned against the wall, trying to decide where to go from there. By now the elevator had probably shown up and the two women with their intense conversation were gone. If it hadn't arrived and he re-appeared they would probably think he was either checking them out or weird. Maybe both. Letting out asigh, he wondered if there was another set of elevators or even some stairs. He grimaced at the thought of walking down twenty-seven flights of stairs.

"I don't want to fight." Izzie's solemn voice stilled his thoughts. Taking a deep breath, Alex turned toward the direction of his room. She had taken the time to throw on a pair of rose colored daisy dukes, and a cream colored lace top, but had done nothing with her damp hair. There were red blotches marring her face, evidence that she had been crying. That cut him to the quick. He'd never been the source of her tears. He'd always been the one to wipe away the tears and tell her it would all be okay. This time he couldn't. Even if he wanted to, she needed to sort through her feelings on her own. He knew she loved him. There was no doubt about that. It was the type of love he questioned, and her faith in him. "Let's just go meet George and Olivia. Get it over with."

"Fine by me," he mumbled. They quietly walked in the direction Alex had come. The two women were no where to be seen. He reached out and jabbed at the down button. A few seconds later the elevator doors slid open. Of course, he thought wryly. When he wanted the elevator to hurry it took it's sweet time, but now that it didn't really matter it showed up quickly. Their silence continued as they stood on opposite sides of the car. Her gaze seemed focused on her pink polished toe nails and his was focused, yt again, on the tears that stained her cheeks. Occassionally her shoulders would shudder as she fought back a sniffle. He couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't be the reason she felt this way. He started to reach for her, to tell her it would be alright, but the elevator doors chose that moment to slide open. He took it as a sign to stick with his original plan to let her work it out on her own.

"Took you long enough," George teased as they walked towards the raised, round table where he sat with a woman who could only be Olivia Harmon. She was prettier than Alex expected, with long strawberry blonde hair and big blue eyes. There was a china doll quality about her that would have appealed to Alex if not for the brown eyed blonde sitting next to him.

"Sorry. We were...busy." Heat crept into Izzie's cheeks, blending in with the splotches so that her face resembled a tomato.

"Yeah. I kinda gathered that when you didn't show up on time." George twisted in his seat and waved over a waiter. He'd changed since high school. He wasn't toothpick thin and he'd some how managed to tame his mop of curly black hair. There was still a hint of rose in his cheeks and his blue eyes were still a little to sparkly but other than that it was obvious George had grown up. Alex had never noticed that before. Maybe he'd over looked the changes because of Izzie's infatuation with the boy George had once been. "I need another Scotch and my fiancée would like another glass of wine," George told the waiter. "And my friends will have..." he glanced towards Alex and Izzie. Alex ordered a vodka while Izzie asked for an apple martini. "So..." George flashed a quick grin. "I can't say I'm all that surprised you and Iz ended up together."

Alex wrinkled his brow. The last person he ever expected to tell hin that he and Izzie were no surprise as a couple was George. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." George took a sip from the beer the waiter set before him. "Even before prom night, I kinda always figured you two had a thing for each other." He took another sip, chuckling when Alex asked him about prom night. The only version he had ever heard was Izzie's. "I can't believe she didn't tell you!"

"I told him about prom night," Izzie mumbled, her fingers wrapping around the tem of her martini glass. She took a long swallow, almost choking as George told a very different version from the one she had shared with Alex. Some of the details were the same. Like Izzie taking off her prom dress and saying she was ready to have sex. She had left out one very important detail. She'd never told George she loved him or that she wanted to have sex with him. Instead she had called him Alex.

Alex looked down at his empty glass. He was only half aware of the stammering Izzie was doing. This revelation of George's put a whole new spin on things. He bit back a smirk as he asked a passing waiter for another drink. He didn't know what he was going to do with the information George had revealed, but he knew one thing for damn sure: Izzie was scared shitless of what she felt for him.


	7. Chapter 7

_Dear Readers: Picking this story up again is going to be hard. Not because I'm not committed or still interested in the storyline. Far from it. I am very much invested. It is just difficult to do when my outline is on a laptop that died. I have read what I have of the story so far and I know how it ends. I just need to regroup how to get there. At any rate, I won't say I am sorry for taking so long to get back to this. If you aren't aware, my mother was sick. Nothing like cancer to distract you from fanfiction. She had surgery though and just got the all clear! Yay mom! I am so proud of her! Now that we have weathered that storm I have a tad bit more time for writing. Just a tad as I was promoted and will be undertaking several large projects. Thanks for being so understanding and supportive! You have no idea how much it means. _

_(This chapter is rather short but it gets us back in the game!) _

Chapter Seven

A comfortable warmth wrapped itself around Izzie as she snuggled her face into the bunched up pillow beneath her head. Her lips parted as a sigh of contentment slipped past her lips. She couldn't remember the last time she'd slept so well. It hadn't been recently, that was for sure. Between work, the stress of her mother trying to hook her up with random single guys, and George's wedding she had become the poster child for insomnia. She tried to remember what had been different about last night. Nothing. Her mind was an empty void of fog. Beyond screwing Alex like some sex starve teenager and drinking too many fruity drinks. There was also a vague memory of George running his mouth about what really occurred prom night. A grimace twisted her face at the thought. Stupid George. What had she ever seen in him? Other than a protective barrier between her and her feelings for Alex. Alex! Bolting upright, Izzie sucked in her breath. She pushed a chunk of tangled blonde hair out of her eyes. Her heart started to pound. She was naked. In bed. With an equally naked man. She squeezed her eyes shut. Please be Alex! Please be Alex! Please be Alex! She silently chanted as she turned her face towards the body next to her. Taking a deep breath, she squinted one eye open. Alex. Asleep and snoring."Oh thank God," she whispered, fully opening her eyes.

On the nightstand next to the bed her phone started to buzz. Clutching the sheet to her bare chest, Izzie leaned over and reached for it. Her fingers brushed over a thick piece of embossed paper. Wrinkling her brow, she used the tips of her fingers to push her phone out of the way before picking the paper up. Her eyes quickly scanned the official looking document. A scream formed in her throat but came out as a small squeak instead. No, no, no! This wasn't happening. It had to be a joke. A sick joke that George was playing on them. "Alex!" She shoved at his bare shoulder. Nothing. "Alex," she said his name a little louder, pinching some of his tanned skin between her fingers. He sat up with a yelp, a scowl marring his handsome face. Rubbing at the offending spot, he asked what was wrong with her. Her lips parted, ready to tell him that George was sick but a loud pounding on the door interrupted her.

"Hold on,"Alex yelled, throwing back the covers. He tugged on his discarded boxers and stomped towards the door. Izzie scrambled over the side of the bed, frantically looking for something easy to throw on. She snatched up Alex's t-shirt and pulled it on just as he swung open the door. His step-brother Mark stood on the other side, his face a mask of fury. Before either of them could ask what he was doing there he sucker punched Alex in the gut. "What the fuck!"

"Yeah. What the fuck!" Mark snapped, his arctic blue eyes shifting from Alex to Izzie. His gaze narrowed. "I bet you're real proud of yourself, aren't you?" Before she could ask him what he meant Alex demanded to know what was going on. Mark wastes no time in whipping out his phone. With a few quick swipes he pulls up a text. Izzie peered over Alex's shoulder, her mouth drying. If George was playing a joke he was an expert prankster, and since George wasn't an expert anything, Izzie had this awful feeling that piece of paper she'd left discarded on the bed, along with the text Mark was showing them, was real. She closed her eyes and then reopened them. The text was still there. The picture of her and Alex in some cheesy wedding chapel showing off the marriage license that was lying on the bed.

"Iz," Alex bit out, his hazel eyes lifting from the phone screen to her face. "Tell me this is a joke."

Licking her lips, Izzie shook her head. She couldn't tell him what she didn't know. And she wasn't so sure it was a joke. The paper she'd found on the nightstand looked pretty official. "The certificate's on the bed," she whispered. Both men stared at her. She shifted from one foot to the other, suddenly aware of the fact that all she wore was Alex's t-shirt. It hit her mid-thigh, so she was fairly confident nothing was showing, but it still left her feeling vulnerable and exposed.

Alex strode towards the bed, yanking up the paper. She knew what he saw. One Alexander Michael Karev and Isobel Katherine Stevens were married. The official State seal on the bottom made it all legal. "Fuck," he muttered. Yeah. Her sentiments exactly.

"So...now what?" She looked at him expectantly. The idea of being married to Alex wasn't as horrifying as it should have been. He was her best friend. Her first and only lover. She loved him. It wasn't hard to picture living the rest of her life with him.

"Now we find a way to fix this mess," Mark answered. Izzie crossed her arms, waiting for Alex to tell him to mind his own business. The words never came. Blinking back tears, she mumbled something about needing a shower before stumbling towards the bathroom. She quietly shut the door, pressing her forehead against it. He could have at least told Mark to mind his own business, she thought as tears trickled down her cheeks. He could have at least acted like being married to her wasn't the worse thing in the world.


	8. Chapter 8

_Author's Note: The last chapter resulted in some mixed feelings. There were some of you who viewed it in a negative manner; while others were excited by the development. I've said it before and I will say it again. I never do anything without good reason. Have a little faith. If you think things are going to be all hunky doory you're wrong. This is a HUGE obstacle for them. One that may or may not destroy their friendship. _

Chapter Eight

Only a complete and total moron let themselves get married while drunk in Vegas. The idea that he had fallen prey to the oldest Las Vegas mistake was enough to make Alex ball up his fist and slam it into the wall. Beneath his curled knuckles he felt the sheet rock crumble. Well wasn't that just fan-fucking-tastic. The hotel would probably charge him a couple thousand for the damage. Money he didn't have. He didn't even know how he was going to scrape the money together to file for an annulment. There were few times he agreed with his step-brother, but this time Mark was right. The only way to fix the mistake that had been made the night before was to make it disappear.

"I talked a lawyer buddy of mine. It shouldn't be hard to get an annulment. Apparently if you can claim lack of consent since you were drunk." Mark grinned at him, satisfaction shining in his eyes. He clapped a hand on Alex's shoulder. "Now all you have to do is come up with five hundred dollars."

Five hundred dollars. It might as well have been five thousand. His share of the trip and hotel had drained his meager savings account. He was lucky if he even had a hundred bucks in it. His mind mentally went over the contents of his checking account. Two hundred dollars. Usually that seemed like plenty to have in his account. After all, he owned his home and his bills were usually cheap. Now it seemed like a pittance. "I don't have it," he muttered, scraping a hand down his face. He could feel his fingers shaking. He'd messed up plenty of times in his life but never like this. Never something so life changing.

"I do."

The softly spoken two words had Alex looking over his shoulder. Izzie stood just outside the bathroom door. Some time during Mark's billion phone calls and his personal meltdown she had exchanged his t-shirt for a pair of white shorts and a pastel Aztec print tank top that hung a little lower in the back. She'd scraped her hair into a messy bun on top of her head and applied the bare minimum of make up. "I have it in my purse." She stepped away from the bathroom door and walked toward him. No, not toward him, toward the chair where her purse sat. She dug out a dull brown wallet with the initials LV imprinted all over it and pulled out a stack of hundred dollar bills. Her head remained ducked down as she counted out five of them. Alex watched as her jaw clenched and unclenched. "Here," she spat out, throwing the money in Mark's general direction. It fluttered to the ground.

"What the hell is your problem!" Mark stared at her, his handsome face twisted into a combination of anger and shock. "Jesus, Iz, you don't have to be such a bitch."

"And you don't have to be such a pathetic excuse of a human being," she shot back, gathering up her purse. She slung it over her shoulder and strode towards the door.

"Iz, where are you going?" Alex felt his brow wrinkle in confusion. She couldn't leave. They needed to see if there was anyplace open where they could start the annulment process. He couldn't do anything without her there. It would take both their signatures.

"None of your business." The coldness in her voice had him taking a step back. He'd never seen or heard Izzie act the way she was acting. It was almost as though she were pissed at him. Which was ridiculous. He hadn't done anything to piss her off. Hell, he hadn't even really spoke to her. His sole focus had been on figuring out a way to correct the mistake they'd made the night before. Shit. He hadn't even talked to her, asked her what she thought about the whole thing. He'd just assumed she felt the same way Mark...Shit. He'd freaked out over the whole thing and let Mark take control. Story of his life. His mother had married Mark's father when Mark was thirteen and he was ten. At the time Mark had been bigger and more confident, if not a little bleak when it came to getting close to people. Women especially. Alex's mother had once told him Mark couldn't let women close because he was scared they were going to die...like his mother. For the most part Mark had been a great brother. Nobody was allowed to bully him and if he need advice on girls, Mark had always been willing to give it. Some of it had been pretty awful but most of it had come in handy. Except now. Now, Alex was starting to think letting Mark tell him how to handle the situation was a mistake.

Mark crossed the room and blocked the door. A pained look formed on Alex's face as Izzie's eyes narowed. Under normal circumstances Izzie was pretty chill, but these were not normal circumstances and Alex knew her well enough to know her fight or flight was kicking in. Typically when things got difficult she chose flight. Since Mark wasn't letting her walk out, the fight was going to kick in. "You can't leave, Iz. If we find a place open we..."

Whatever else Mark had been about to say was cut off by an angry growl that escaped through Izzie's clenched teeth. "We? What's this we business Mark? The last time I checked this didn't have anything to do with you."

"Wrong. Alex is my brother, which means it has everything to do with me. I'm not going to let you sucker him into some sham of a marriage just because you're feeling a little desperate since George is getting married.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Disbelief warred with anger in Izzie's voice as she stared at Mark, rage sparkling in her eyes. The blood drained from her face as it became obvious that Mark hadn't been kidding. She turned to look at Alex. "Is that what you think? That I somehow suckered you into marrying me?"

"I don't know," he said lowly. Last night was a fog. He didn't have a clue about how they had ended up in their current predicament. His last clear thought was of the conversation they'd had with George and Olivia over Izzie calling George 'Alex' on prom night.

"Good to know what you really think of me," whispered Izzie. She reached around Mark and yanked open the door. Alex started after her. He had to explain that whatever she was thinking, it hadn't been what he meant. He didn't think she had tricked him into getting married. That didn't feel right. Plus it wasn't part of who she was. It was all so confusing though.

"Let her go Alex. Let her chill out." Mark caught him by the arm before he could leave. He stared down at his step-brother's hand and then shot Mark a hard look. Abruptly Mark let his hand fall away.

"Do you really think Izzie's capable of tricking me?" Alex asked, his voice a hoarse whisper. He wanted to clap his hands over his ears and tell Mark to shut up as he launched into a spiel about desperate women doing desperate things. "She's not like that and you know it."

"Doesn't matter what I know or don't know. What matters is what you know. If you don't think she tricked you that's all that should matter."

Mark made it sound so simple. It wasn't. Not anymore. Nothing about his relationship with Izzie was simple. It never had been. There had always been something simmering beneath the surface that kept their friendship from being like other friendships. It was love. Alex knew that. He loved her. Scratch that. He was in love with her. Which made this that much harder. No, he didn't think she had tricked him. Most likely they had drank to much, got caught up in George's wedding talk, and thought what the hell. It didn't make his feelings any different: he wasn't ready to get married and Izzie sure as hell deserved more than some drunken mid-night run through a wedding chapel ran by a guy dressed up like Elvis.

Taking a deep breath, Alex walked over the mussed up bed. The marriage license was lying right where Izzie had left it. His fingers started to shake as he picked it up. The shaking stopped. "Shit," he whispered, a chuckle forming in his throat. The longer he stared at the paper, the harder he laughed. His name, along with Izzie's, was on the license, but not as the bride and groom. They had signed as witnesses for George and Olivia. Alex wasn't going to touch the weirdness of George and Olivia eloping the night before their actual wedding. He had to find Izzie, show her that everything was okay.

He could hear Mark asking him what the hell was so funny. He ignored him. Mindless of the fact that he wasn't wearing shoes, Alex hurried towards the elevators. "Please let her be waiting," he mumbled. He almost shouted in victory when he seen her leaning against the wall across from the elevator doors. Luck was on his side. "Iz," he called. She didn't look up.

"Go away," she hissed.

"No. You have to look at this." He shoved the marriage license in her hands. He watched as she read it, waiting for the look of relief. It never came. "Iz, we're not married."

"Yeah. I see that." Her chin remained tucked against her chest. "Congratulations. Have you told Mark the good news? I'm sure he'll be ecstatic that you're not really being suckered into a sham of a marriage."

"Who cares what Mark thinks?"

That got her attention. Her chin jerked up. "You. You care! When you thought we'd gotten married you didn't stop to ask me how I felt or what I thought we should do! Oh no, you turned to Mark! You let him do all your thinking and talking. And if that wasn't bad enough, you both acted like I was the one to blame when really we don't know what happened. Maybe if you hadn't let Mark in our business we would have taken a closer look at the license and realized it wasn't ours." Her dark eyes swam with un-shed tears. "I could forgive you for that. I could. What I can't forgive you for is acting like being married to me was the worse thing in the world."

"Iz," he started.

She shook her head. "I think it would be best if you spent the rest of this trip with Mark."

"Iz, I don't..." his voice trailed off as she stepped on to the elevator. The doors slid shut, leaving him alone with a million thoughts that didn't quite make sense.


End file.
